O'Neal scored a season-high 36 points, operating against only token resistance most of the night, as the Raptors won their second straight road game, upending the Sacramento Kings 107-101 last night to begin their three-game post-Christmas trip.

Beating the likes of veteran Brad Miller and rookie Spencer Hawes and forcing the Kings to double-team him every time he caught the ball down the stretch, O'Neal did pretty much want he wanted.

Jermaine O'Neal scored 36 points in his highest-scoring game in two seasons and the Toronto Raptors ended a 10-game losing streak in Sacramento with a 107-101 victory over the Kings on Friday night.

The Raptors have won back-to-back games on a six-game road trip that was broken up by a three-day holiday break that allowed many of the Toronto players to go home for Christmas before returning to the team Thursday night. They responded to the time off by winning for just the second time in 13 trips to Arco Arena and the first since March 13, 1997.

The Kings lost their fifth straight game since winning their first game under interim coach Kenny Natt, falling to 5-10 on the season at home.

O'Neal had gotten off to a slow start in his Toronto career, following an off-season trade from Indiana. He missed 40 games last season because of lingering pain from a torn ligament in his left knee that was surgically repaired the previous summer.

The NBA landscape is dotted with shoot-first point guards and floor generals who prefer to distribute the basketball.

The elite guard is capable of doing both, especially in the fourth quarter when creating opportunities for oneself is as important as protecting the basketball and getting a teammate touches.

It's a fine line between being selfish, which is, at times, required, and maintaining a team-first mentality.

Jose Calderon is neither an elite point guard nor an average point guard. He finds himself somewhere in the middle at a time when the Raptors are trying to find their game. They entered last night's late tip against the host Kings six games under .500 at 11-17.

Calderon's numbers speak to his greatest skill: His ability to find teammates and to take care of the basketball. But if the Raptors are to make a serious push, it is up to Calderon to be more selfish.